Ninjago: Love or Duty?
by DeliciouslyDangerous1
Summary: Prince Kai announces his sister's betrothal to Prince Cole. A ball is held to celebrate the Princess's engagement, where she meets a handsome stranger, the two of them forming a friendship. Soon, that friendship turns into something more, making Nya question her engagement to Prince Cole. Now, she must choose. Love or duty? Following her heart or doing what's best for her kingdom?
1. Chapter 1

**Nya's POV**

"Isn't the scenery beautiful, princess?" Jay asked, slinging his arm around my shoulders as the four of us made our way through town.

We had been in town for an hour now, trying to find the dressmaker's shop, unsuccessfully I might add.

A week ago, my brother Kai had announced my betrothal to Prince Cole and suggested we hold a ball to celebrate, therefore I needed a new gown.

"Yes, the scenery is quite spectacular." I said, not really paying him any attention. I spotted the dressmaker's shop, quickening my pace.

I had never been allowed to go into town without escorts, so I had brought some of my most trusted friends.

Arisa, my lady-in-waiting, along with Count Jayson and one of the guards named Kazuo I trusted them with my life, so I entrusted them with the task of accompanying me.

Arisa was beautiful, with her long, wavy light brown hair, light brown eyes, and smooth flawless skin. Jay was cute and always cracking jokes, humoring us all.

Entering the dress shop, I was greeted by an older gentleman with glasses, who introduced himself as Mr. Julien, the dressmaker.

I curtsied as he bowed to me. I decided to introduce myself, even though I'm pretty sure he knows who I am. The others introduced themselves as well.

"I am Princess Nya, its nice to meet you." I said, giving the kind man a smile.

"My name's Arisa, its a pleasure." She said as she curtsied before elbowing Jay, making him introduce himself.

"Oh, I'm Count Jayson, but call me Jay." He said, bowing to Mr. Julien. Kazuo stood there silently, trying to look like the perfect guard.

"It is very nice to meet you all, now if the princess would follow me, I need to acquire your measurements to ensure the dress will fit properly." He said.

I followed him, being told to stand on a small platform as he took my measurements, writing them down before sending me on my way.

"Your dress will be ready in by tomorrow, I guarantee it." He said, smiling at the four of us.

"Thank you, I will make sure you and your entire staff are invited to the ball." I said, making his eyes shine with excitedment.

"Thank you, your majesty." He said, bowing once more as we turned to leave, waving at him as went headed back to the castle.

The ground was clear, but a few light snowflakes drifted across our path. I had always loved the colder weather, so I never minded the snowflakes, for they where a sign of cold weather to come.

We quickly made our way back to the castle, Kazuo running off to his post as soon as we returned. Count Jayson, Arisa, and I decided to go for a stroll in the courtyard.

Jay and Arisa were soon to be wed, much to his parent's dismay, knowing she was not nobility. Jay didn't care about that and had immediately started courting her.

I walked beside them, feeling more like a third wheel than anything as I watched the two of them. They seemed so happy, making me wonder what mine and Cole's marriage would be like.

I had heard many things about the neighboring prince, but had never actually met him. They say he's quite handsome and incredibly strong, the strongest in the land.

My brother heard of him being in search of a wife and had automatically had me betrothed to the prince, without asking for my opinion. I sighed at the thought.

I grew tired of walking with them, so I excused myself, returning to my chambers. I had one of the maids help me remove my dress, slipping into my night clothes.

My brother always disapproved of me running around in my night clothes before bed, stating that it was inappropriate for a princess.

My brother's wife, Rika didn't seem to mind, but I could never tell with her. She had been the daughter of a count, having been raised as a proper lady.

My father had always insisted on having me trained as a proper lady, but my mother always managed to convince him otherwise.

I pushed the thoughts of my deceased parents out of my head, crawling into bed after informing the maid that I would not be going to dinner, finding my appetite had vanished.

She curtsied before leaving, going to inform my brother of my decision to not go to dinner. I sighed, letting my head hit my pillow.

I laid there, my black locks draped across my pillow as I thought about my engagement to Prince Cole, wondering if I'd be happy with our marriage.

I had planned on marrying someone I loved, but when Kai had me betrothed to this guy, I began to think of the good it would do for the kingdom, especially the lower quarter.

The lower quarter was still pretty, but things were quickly falling apart down there. Just the other day, their fountain had broken, the people selling their possessions to fix it.

I sighed once more, deciding to get some rest, closing my eyes and drifting off to sleep.

* * *

**Zane's POV**

My father had spent the next several hours working on a beautiful gown, not once taking a break. I grew curious as to who the gown was meant for, but didn't question it.

I watched as he made the gown, the dress an icy blue color, looking as though it was actually made of ice. A somewhat transparent cape was attached to the gown.*

The bell rang, signaling the arrival of another customer, so I went up front. A middle aged woman came looking for a gift for her niece, browsing through many of our finished gowns.

She stopped as she saw one, light green and light pink in color, flower designs adorning the gown. She purchased it, handing me a sack full of coins, 50 of them to be precise.

I saw a young girl on a carriage outside, a hood surrounding her face, but I could tell she had long black hair and green eyes.

The woman handed the girl the gown before making their way towards the upper quarter, where nobility resides. Me and my father reside in the middle quarter, where all merchants reside.

I placed the coins in our jar, the metal coins clanking as they hit the other coins in the jar. Sighing, I went back to check on my father, finding him almost done with the dress.

Once my father finished with that dress, it was placed on a mannequin, but wasn't placed up front, which means it is reserved for someone.

He pulled out some more fabric, starting on another dress. Business was slow today, so I decided to help him, pulling out a new fabric.

"Ah, there you are Zane. By chance, could I get you to start on the dress for the princess' lady-in-waiting?" My father asked, eyes never looking up.

"Yes Father, was there any particular color she wanted?" I asked, knowing certain customers preferred certain colors.

"No, but she had light brown hair and eyes, so I'd make it a mint green color." He said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

I nodded my head, going to grab some fabric. I found a nice mint green color and went to work on the gown, wondering why people were needing gowns all of a sudden.

I finished it with an hour, finding myself looking it over, checking for imperfections, but finding none. I nodded my head in approval to nobody in particular.

I had added bits of white and pink in certain places of the dress, adding to its beauty. I went to place it on a mannequin in the back before going back up front.

Another customer had arrived, a young lady, who began browsing through the gowns. She stared at one gown for a few moments before shaking her head, the gown not quite what she was looking for.

She had silver hair and green eyes, she was relatively pretty. She continued to look around, still not finding any of the dresses to her liking.

I walked over to her, tapping her on the shoulder. She turned to face me, her face getting red for some reason.

"Perhaps I may be of assistance?" I asked, wanting her to find the right gown. I usually tried to help the customers, wanting them to be satisfied upon leaving.

"I guess. My name is Pixal by the way, nice to meet you." She said as she curtsied. I bowed to her before speaking.

"I am Zane, son of the owner. Now, perhaps I can find something to fit your tastes?" I said, walking around the store.

Judging from her hair color and her eyes, I think she would be best if she wore a shade of purple or perhaps black.

I decided to go with black and began to look for the dress I had finished a few days ago, eventually coming across it.

It was long and very pretty. It was mainly black, but had bits of silver on it too, like the silver sash around the waist. The sleeves went to the elbow, a silver trim at the end of the sleeves.

I showed it to her, making her squeal in delight, purchasing the gown moments later, thanking me for my help as she left the store.

I went back to check on my father, finding him asleep at the table he'd been working on, glasses falling from his face.

I chuckled a bit, going to close the shop, when I saw a palace guard approaching, so I decided not to.

The guard entered the shop, bearing a scroll for my father and the rest of the staff, an invitation to the royal ball celebrating the princess's engagement to Prince Cole.

I thanked him for the invitation, going to place it on the table in the back, then went to close the shop once more.

After closing the shop, I went upstairs to my room, laying in my bed and falling asleep, wondering what tomorrow would bring.

* * *

**Okay, so there you go, Chapter 1 of this story. I had already written this story, but I felt that Zane and Nya's relationship has been too rushed in it, so I rewrote it!**

**Anyways, just so you know, this is NOT a NyCole story, even though I am a die-hard NyCole shipper. Something about Zaya I just like, and you have to admit, they ARE a pretty cute couple!**

**But anyways, just let me know what you think of this so far! Until next time, ciao!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okie dokie, I'm glad you guys liked the first chapter and I hope you like this one too!**

**Now, enjoy Chapter 2!**

* * *

**The Next Day...**

**Nya's POV**

I awoke to the sound of a knock at my door, opening to reveal my brother and Rika.

Sitting up in bed, I gave the two of them a sleepy smile, making them chuckle at me, pointing at my hair.

Looking up, I noticed my hair was sticking up in every direction, so I ran my fingers over it, trying to smooth it down, eventually taming my wild locks.

Today, was the day of the ball, so the entire palace had been busy, preparing for what would probably be this year's finest party held here at the castle.

"So, what brings you two here?" I asked, giving them a puzzled look.

"Well Nya, as you know, tonight is the ball, so I just wanted to tell you not to wander too far off. Rebel attacks have been more and more frequent." Kai said, sighing.

I pursed my lips, recalling the most recent attack. Glass shattering, screamings echoing off the palace walls as all of us tried to rush to the safe room below, until the guards managed to run them off.

The rebels had been trying to kill me and my brother for over 5 years, since I was 13, while Kai was 15 at the time. I had been terrified when they attacked me for the first time.

Shaking the memory from my head, I focused all of my attention on Kai and Rika, who were staring at me, waiting for me to say something, anything.

"I promise I won't go far, I'll stay close by." I said, making them both let out sighs of relief. With that, the two of them left, going to prepare for the ball.

I decided to get ready later, so I went to find Kazuo, my most trusted guard. He's the reason I hadn't died when the rebels attacked me the first time, ever since, he's never left my side during an attack.

I found him minutes later, standing guard outside the door to the ballroom, where our guests would be here in a few hours, making me anxious.

The last party we'd held had been when I'd turned 16, so Kai thought it appropriate to throw a party for me, inviting countless nobility to attend.

Kazuo took notice of me coming his way, turning to address me. I stopped once I reached him, waiting for him to quit bowing to me before speaking.

"Kazuo, I wanna go riding today, so I need someone to come with me. Will you go with me?" I asked, sheepishly, hoping he wouldn't refuse. I never felt truly safe with any of the other guards, just Kazuo.

"Yes, your majesty, I would be honored to accompany you." He said, with a slight nod of his head, the two of us heading towards the stables.

Entering the stables, I immediately rushed over to my horse Yuki, placing her saddle on her back, climbing on and waiting for Kazuo to grab a horse.

Once he chose a horse, we took off, heading for my usual riding trail, which lead to a small cliff overlooking the kingdom, making it one of my favorite spots.

Riding down the trail, I managed to avoid being hit by branches, while Kazuo got hit by several before we reached the cliff and got off our horses.

I stood there staring at the kingdom for a moment, then I stretched my arms out like a cross before allowing myself to fall back onto the ground, looking up at the sky.

I don't know how long I laid there, but after a while, Kazuo mentioned we should go back, the ball starting here soon. Sighing, I climbed back onto my horse and we went back.

As soon as we returned to the castle, Kai and Rika met us at the stables, Rika rushing me to my room to get ready, knowing it took a little while to make me look good.

Entering my chambers, I saw Arisa, along with two other ladies, waiting to help me get ready.

Arisa had me get out of my riding dress, then one of the other ladies started on my corsets, tightening them to make me comfortable, but...they were still tight.

After that, the other lady went to retrieve the dress I'd purchased from the dressmaker Mr. Julien, grabbing it from my closet.

The gown was indeed a beautiful gown, looking as though it was made from pure ice. As I slid the gown on, I admired the silky texture of it, loving the way it felt against my skin.

Everyone else admired me in the gown before rushing to do my hair, pulling it into an elegant bun, not putting a crown on my head as I requested.

Finally, a mask was placed on my face, matching my gown. I turned to examine myself in the mirror, amazed at my appearance.

Minutes later, all of us were on our way to the ballroom, arriving to find guests already there and more steadily arriving as we made our way across the room, heading over to stand by my brother.

Kai looked wonderful, as did Rika. Kai dressed in a nice shade of red, his suit adorned with little bits of gold as well.

Rika's gown was long and was a light shade of red, contrasting with her dark, blood red hair. Her gown had dark red jewels going down from her waist, looking like drips of blood falling down the dress.

Rika linked her arm through Kai's, standing next to him, both of them smiling at each other. You could tell they loved each other, they had ever since they'd met.

I remembered the first time they met, remembering how nervous Kai had been for the rest of the day as he spent time with Rika, a blush on his face the entire time.

_Flashback_

_6 years ago, our father took us to an important meeting, needing to discuss trade with King Garmadon, along with a few other important nobles._

_Jay's father, Ed had come, bringing Jay with him, so I had someone to talk to other than Kai, who had sat quietly on his horse the entire ride to King Garmadon's castle._

_Once we arrived, Kai, Father, and Ed went to meet with the King, while me and Jay went to find Prince Lloyd, since it had been so long since we'd seen him._

_We found him and all of us went to play, running through the many halls of the castle, laughing as loud as humanly possible until we turn a corner, seeing Kai exit the meeting room, a pretty girl following behind him._

_We followed them, observing everything they did. Neither of them had talked to each other for the first 20 minutes of their walk, but finally broke the ice after that as the girl turned to speak to Kai, her face red._

_They eventually got more chatty, talking and laughing with one another, both of them blushing. I watched as Kai hesitantly held Rika's hand, lacing his fingers through her's as they continued to walk._

_Several hours later, we had to leave, making Kai and Rika a bit sad. Father promised Kai he would see Rika again and he did, two years later at my parent's funeral._

_A year after that, Kai made Rika his wife. Ever since, neither of them had been unhappy with each other, they were always happy around one another, especially once Rika discovered she was pregnant._

_End Flashback_

I smiled at the memories, hoping that maybe my marriage would be like theirs, that maybe I'd come to love Prince Cole in time.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when the music started playing, everyone grabbing a dance partner, beginning to waltz.

I watched them in awe, wishing someone would ask me to dance too. I loved to dance, it was one of my favorite things to do in my spare time, but it was never as satisfying as dancing with a partner, which is why I look forward to these parties.

Halfway through the dance, the door to the ballroom opened, revealing a group of about 6 people, all of them wearing masks except for one man, Mr. Julien.

I smiled as I made my way over to him, wanting to thank him for my lovely dress. Approaching him, he immediately noticed me in the gown, his face glowing with pride at his handiwork.

We got to talking and he told me many things about himself, like the fact that he had a son around my brother's age, which peaked my interest, thinking I could make another friend.

"Where is your son, Mr. Julien?" I asked, wanting to meet him. The way Mr. Julien described him, he sounded like a nice guy.

"Ah, I do believe he is sitting at te table over there. He's in the white suit." Mr. Julien said, pointing in the direction his son was supposed to be in.

I curtsied to him before rushing off to meet his son, eventually finding him at the exact table his father had said he'd be at. He was watching everyone with an amused expression on his face.

His mask was a plain white one, matching his suit just right. I could see his eyes, which were the same shade of icy blue as my dress, they were stunning.

From what I could see of his face, he was definitely a handsome man, even better looking than some of the nobles I'd seen before. This guy could've easily passed for nobility.

Tapping his shoulder, he turned to look at me, giving me a smile and standing to bow to me. I curtsied to him before he asked me to dance.

I nodded my head, letting him lead me to the middle of the floor. He placed one hand on my waist, the other one holding one of mine, while my other hand rested on his shoulder.

The music began and we slowly began to dance, twirling and moving in time with the music. For some reason, my heart was beating wildly inside of my chest, feeling as though it would burst from my chest at any moment.

I can't even remember how long we danced, making small talk as we did, but I definitely enjoyed it.

Eventually, we grew tired of dancing, so we went for a stroll, going out to the balcony and sitting on the edge, continuing to talk.

As we talked, I learned many things about him. He was an only child, he liked to dance, his mother passed away when he was young, and that he could cook, which interested me, considering we happened to be looking for a new cook.

"Come with me!" I said, dragging him by the hand towards Kai. Zane's face paled as he stood in front of Kai, politely bowing to him in respect, looking unsure.

"Nya, who's this?" Kai asked, looking at me curiously.

"Kai, this is my new friend, Zane. He's the son of the man who made my dress." I said, pointing to Mr. Julien, who was entertaining some guests across the room.

"It's very nice to meet you, your majesty." Zane said, bowing once more, making Kai chuckle.

"It is nice to meet you too Zane, but the formality isn't necessary, just call me Kai." Kai said, his face softening, making Zane look a bit more relaxed.

"Anyways Kai, I was wondering if Zane could be our new cook!? He says he's really good and we need a new cook, so what do you say!?" I asked, excitedly, making Kai laugh once more, nodding his head.

"I would love to have Zane as our new cook, if he's fine with it." Kai said, turning his head to look at Zane, who nodded his head, a smile on his face.

"I would love to...Kai. When do I start?" Zane asked, looking over at his father, who was dancing with a familiar looking woman. I felt like I'd seen her before, but couldn't put my finger on it, so I focused my attention back to our conversation.

"Will tomorrow do? I'm sorry if it's a bit short notice though." Kai said. Zane sighed, shaking his head.

"Tomorrow's fine, I just need to inform my father. One question, where will I be staying?" Zane asked.

"Well, you could stay with Count Jayson, I know he won't mind." Kai said, pointing to Jay, who was busy dancing with Arisa, twirling her around the floor, both of them laughing.

Zane agreed to the take the job, agreeing to the conditions before going to tell his father. Kai and Rika left as well, going to dance, leaving me all alone.

I walked around, looking for someone to talk to, bumping into a young girl in the process. She looked to be around Prince Lloyd's age, with long black hair and beautiful green eyes. Her dress was pretty, with shades of green and pink, along with a floral design.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, let me help you up!" I said, extending my hand to help her to her feet. Taking my hand, she managed to get on her feet, brushing off her dress, a smile on her face.

"It's fine, don't worry about it! I'm Lena by the way and you're Nya, right?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. I nodded my head, making her squeal in excitement.

"It's so nice to finally meet my future sister-in-law! I'm Prince Cole's little sister!" She said, catching me off guard for a moment there.

She was Prince Cole's sister!? Did that mean he was here as well?

Gulping nervously, I began to glance around the room, looking for a man I had never seen before, making me feel foolish.

"He's not here, if that's what you're wondering." I heard Lena say, making me let out a small sigh of relief, which made Lena laugh a bit at my nervousness.

I had never met Prince Cole before, so the idea of meeting him scares me a bit, but not as much as the idea of marrying him.

After that, I sat down to talk with Lena, wanting to learn as much as possible about her brother. He sounded llike a great guy overall, making me not as nervous about the marriage.

Several hours later, the guests left the castle, returning to their homes, while Zane was escorted to his room by Jay. I had been escorted by Kazuo, who didn't leave my side until I ordered him to leave my room, which he did without question.

I slipped my dress off of my body, letting it fall to the floor in a heap before getting into my night clothes and crawling into bed, laying my head on my pillow and quickly falling asleep, a large grin on my face.

* * *

**Zane's POV**

Prince Kai and Princess Nya were nothing like what I'd expected, they were both very nice people, completely unlike what I'd been told by Nariko and the others.

Either way, I couldn't let their kindness distract me from my mission. I knew what I had to do and what would happen to me and my father if I failed, so that option was out of the question.

I pondered over my predicament as I laid in bed, listening to Count Jay's light snores as I tried to fall asleep.

After a while, I decided that I would still go through with the mission, trying to fight the tightening feeling in my chest.

* * *

**Okay, so there it is, Nya and Zane met! No, they aren't going to just jump into a romance right away, I'm gonna drag it out a bit before the major romantic stuff happens, so there may be minor romantic stuff in some of the next chapters!**

**Whatever could Zane's mission be? Hmmmm, curiouser and curiouser...**

**Here are a few replies to some of the lovely reviews from Chapter 1**

**Sisternature365: I'm glad you like this story so far and I hope you'll continue reading this!**

**ForeverDreamer12: Thank you for the wonderful review, I like this version better than the previous one too! :)**

**NyaFanGirl: I am very happy that you like my stories and I hope you'll continue to read them! Anyways, I have the answers to your questions down below! The questions didn't bother me at all, I love it when people ask me questions about my stuff, whether its my artwork or my stories!**

**1. I have always been a Cya fan, even before Rebooted ever came on. I have loved them since the beginning and probably always will.**

**2. I admit that at first, I didn't understand this question, but I think I figured it out. If you were asking how I come up with ideas for my stories, I can just tell you that these just come to me randomly, either while I'm reading a book or just laying in bed, they just randomly pop into my head!**

**Anyways guys, I got back from camp today, yay (sort of) and I am gonna have tons of free time now, so I will try to update as soon as possible.  
**

**Now, I hope you liked this chapter and I will see you soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay so in this chapter, Zane has already been working in the palace for like four days. You'll be meeting two OC's in this chapter, Ayame and Ronin.**

**At the bottom of this, I have listed the OC's you will be meeting in this story and a little bit of their roles in this story, but no spoilers are made, wouldn't wanna ruin the surprise now would I?**

**I also posted a few replies to reviews from Chapter 2, so those are down there as well.**

**Anyways, let's do this thing...**

* * *

**Cole's POV**

I stood there silently, watching Princess Nya as she ran around the castle performing various tasks.

She was very beautiful, like her brother had said, but she had other wonderful traits, like her love for dance, her sense of humor, her enthusiasm, and many other things.

I had been observing her for 3 days already and the best part is, she has no idea I'm even here at the palace, but her brother knows.

I watched Princess Nya come scurrying down the hall, rushing in the direction of the kitchen, a smile on her face.

Curious, I silently followed, making sure to not be seen. She entered the kitchen, immediately grabbing a green apple before making her way over to the cook.

The cook was apparently new, the previous cook having tried to poison the meals, and he'd been recommended by Princess Nya herself.

I had tasted his meals myself and found them to be quite delicious, considering his line of work had been dressmaking, like his father.

The princess hopped on a nearby barrel, watching the cook prepare tonight's dinner, her eyes following his every move. The cook finally turned his head to her, giving her a smile.

Nya returned the smile, both of them staring at each other for a few moments before either one of them spoke.

"So Zane, how's the job been?" Nya asked, raising an eyebrow at the cook, whom I guessed was _Zane_. Zane took in a breath, letting it out moments later before replying.

"It has been wonderful Princess, I could not ask for a more pleasant job." Zane said, making Nya smile a bit.

"That's wonderful Zane, but you don't have to keep calling me Princess remember? Just call me Nya, like at the ball." Nya said, hopping off of the barrel to stand beside Zane.

"Now, why don't you let me help you cook?" She asked, rolling up the sleeves of her gown before tying back her hair with a small red ribbon, turning to look at Zane.

Zane nodded his head and the two of them began cooking, Zane giving Nya instructions on what to do and how to do it. I watched the two of them work, making sure everythig between them stayed friendly.

An hour later, the meal was done, so Nya went to go change for dinner, Zane watching her as she went, making me...angry a bit. I didn't like the way the two of them interacted with one another, but decided I'd just have to grin and bear it.

Leaving the kitchen, I made my way to stand at the dining room door, Kai taking notice of me standing there, giving me a small smile before Nya walked in.

She had changed her gown into something a bit different than what she'd worn in the kitchen, this gown was nicer than her previous one, seeing as though it had been her riding dress.

This gown was black with tiny orange jewels around the waist of it. The sleeves stopped halfway down her arm, right at her elbows.

Her hair was pulled back like it had been in the kitchen, only instead of a red ribbon, it was an orange one keeping her hair tied back.

Walking across the room, she went to sit next to her brother, who had gotten up and pulled her chair out for her, like he'd done for his wife.

The meal was served shortly after, Zane and another young servant brought the trays of food out, placing them in front of each person before going back to the kitchen.

I watched as they ate their meal, while still managing to make conversations with one another, Nya and Rika discussing the baby.

Kai kept glancing back and forth from me to Nya, chuckling when I glared at him, causing him to turn away and resume eating his meal.

Once all of them were done, Zane and the servant came back out, taking up the trays without saying a word. Zane and Nya glanced at each other, both of them smirking at each other as Zane went back to the kitchen.

Queen Rika announced that she was tired, so her and Kai went to their chambers, leaving me alone with Princess Nya, who still didn't know who I was.

I stood there, observing her from underneath my helmet, watching as she pulled her hair out of its ribbon. Her black locks were almost able to brush her shoulders, but not yet.

Then, she kicked off her shoes, picking them up as she made her way to the kitchen once more, no doubt going to see Zane.

I followed her to the kitchen once more, staying within the shadows. Her and Zane were speaking to the servant that had helped bring out the trays of food.

Looking at her, she looked as though she was about Nya's age, maybe a little bit younger. Her hair was long and almost completely white, her hair stopping at her waist line.

Her eyes were a pretty shade of lavender, her face was a bit heart-shaped and freckles could faintly be seen across the bridge of her nose. She was fairly pale, looking as white as freshly fallen snow, like Zane.

She had a slim build, somewhat curvy but not too curvy. Overall, she was very pretty, but not nearly as pretty as Nya, the woman who'd captured my heart since day one.

I watched as Nya and the girl laughed at something Zane had said, making him laugh as well, his eyes focused on Nya. I felt compelled to rush over there and rip his eyes from their sockets, but refrained from doing so, continuing to watch the three of them.

A voice called Zane away from them, calming me for the time being. Nya and the girl continued their conversation, sitting down on two of the barrels.

The girl was speaking to Nya, who had her eyes on Zane as she listened to the girl speak, watching him as he spoke to a man much older than the rest of the servants.

The man had a long, white beard and wore clothes much different than those of the regular servants, showing that he was no ordinary servant.

He carried a cup of tea in one hand, occasionally taking a sip from it during their conversation, and he wore a strange straw hat that didn't go very well with his uniform.

Zane waved goodbye to the man, walking back over to Nya and taking a seat on the barrel next to her, giving her a small smile, to which she returned.

Another young servant passed me, not noticing me standing there, and went to sit next to the girl with white hair, biting an apple as he sat down.

He was a very attractive young man. He had a slightly muscualr build, but not very muscular like me or Kai. His hair was dark brown and looked somewhat like Count Jay's.

His eyes were mismatched, one eye being light green, while the other eye was a light brown color. Him and the girl seemed to know each other fairly well, judging by their actions and behavior towards one another.

I decided to be a bit bold and move closer, to hear their conversation better. I managed to get closer without being seen, so I continued to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Nya, this is Ronin. He's my best friend from my old village." The girl said, turning to smile at the boy, Ronin. He waved at Nya as he bit into his apple, using his sleeve to wipe away the juices on his chin.

"Hi, I'm Nya. Ayame has told me a lot about you, so it's nice to meet you." Nya said, looking over at the girl, who I assumed was Ayame.

Ayame and Ronin blushed, turning their heads away from one another. Ayame was called away after that, needing to get back to work, waving at Nya as she left the kitchen.

Ronin left shortly after, heading back to his room, waving at Nya and Zane before leaving the kitchen as well.

Nya and Zane sat there for a while, neither of them speaking to each other. After a while though, Nya finally spoke up, breaking the silence.

"So Zane, how do you like it here in the castle?" She asked, not making eye contact with him, looking down at her feet.

"I like it so far, everyone has been so kind to me, that it is hard not to like it here." He said, deciding to try and make eye contact, managing to catch Nya's eye.

They sat there silently once more until Nya stood up and stretched, yawning a bit before she spoke again.

"Well, I'm glad you like it here. Now, I'm...a bit tired right now, so I think I'm gonna turn in. Goodnight Zane, sweet dreams." Nya said, smiling at him before heading to her chambers.

Zane watched her as she went, a smile plastered onto his face even after she'd left the room. He got up from his barrel before heading to his room as well, the one he shared with Count Jayson.

I came out of the shadows, removing my helmet as I sat on a barrel, running my hand through my shaggy black hair, sighing to myself.

I felt jealous of Zane, but I realized that I was being ridiculous, that Nya and him were only friends. At least, that's what I kept telling myself as I laid in bed that night.

Finally, sleeping consumed me and the next thing I saw were the back of my eyelids as I drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**Zane's POV**

When I arrived at my room, I fell onto my bed, unable to remove the smile from my face as I thought of today's events.

Princess Nya had easily become a good friend in the few days that I'd known her, but something was different about our friendship.

Everytime I was around her, I got these warm, fuzzy feelings in the pit of my stomach and they don't go away until hours after Nya and I part ways.

I had frequently thought about what the feelings could be, the only conclusion being love, but I had pushed that thought out of my mind as quickly as possible.

It was bad enough that I had become friends with her, knowing that our friendship would be a distraction to my mission, but a romance would be even worse.

Even if I didn't have my mission, the odds of the two of us being together were very slim. She was a princess, while I was nothing but a mere cook and dressmaker.

Plus, she probably would never return my feelings. I began to imagine what it would be like if she did return my feelings, resulting in that being the main focus of my dreams that night.

* * *

**Okay, so what'd you think?**

**Anyways, here are some replies to some of the reviews from the last chapter!**

**Awesomesauce Samurai 15: I'm glad you like this! The suspense is gonna have to kill you for a little while longer cause Zane's mission isn't going to be revealed for a few more chapters, hehehe!**

**NyaFanGirl: Thank you very much! I'm glad I was able to answer your questions!**

**Now, here are the OC's you're gonna end up meeting in this story:**

**Arisa Yoshida, Nya's lady-in-waiting and best friend, Jay's fiance**

**Ryo Ikeda, shady young thief, Ronin's younger brother**

**Rika Shiori/Flamely, Kai's wife and mother of his child, Nya's sister-in-law, Queen of Ignacia**

**Kazuo Hayashi, Nya's personal guard and friend, vows to protect Nya even at the cost of his own life, Ronin's best friend**

**Nariko Tanaka, Zane's adoptive sister, Ayame's best friend, seamstress at Mr. Julien's dress shop**

**Moon Walker, little sister of Count Jayson, ran away when she was younger and hasn't been seen since**

**Lena Brookstone, little sister of Prince Cole, Moon's best friend, an excellent fighter despite being a princess**

**Aria Yoshida, Arisa's little sister, member of a merchant guild in Cole's kingdom, believed to be dead**

**There WILL be other OC's but they are gonna be the kids of some of the couples in this story!**

**Anyways, hope you liked this chapter and I will see you next time! If you review, I'll give you a cookie and a glitter bazooka!**

**P.S. I plan on updating Learning To Live Together her soon, so keep an eye out for Chapter 2 of that story!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay, so I don't own Shiro, IceFreak101 does and asked me to put her in this story, so I did!**

**I THINK you're gonna like this chapter, but I don't know you guys, so I have no idea what you will and won't like.**

**Anyways, let's get this show on the road!**

* * *

**Three Days Later...**

**Nya's POV**

It's been three days since I last saw Zane, except when he delivered our meals to the table and whenever I passed him in the hallways on my way to lessons.

The last three days had been nothing but lessons, fittings, and various other activities, leaving me little to no time for myself.

The first day, I had done nothing but my lessons, which included music, art, and archery. Each lesson was fun in its own way, especially archery and music.

During music, I was to write a song to perform at King Garmadon's palace in two weeks, at the Black and Gold ball.

In my archery lessons, I got to shoot while riding my horse, managing to shoot each target perfectly, surprising my teacher at how much I'd improved since last time.

The second day, I had been taken to various places in town. Our first stop had been at Mr. Julien's dress shop, to make sure my wedding dress measurements would not need to be altered before the wedding, which happens to be in two months from now.

The bright side of getting my measurements taken was that, I got to talk with Mr. Julien, who asked me lots of questions about Zane.

I had also met a few of Mr. Julien's workers, one of them being his adoptive daughter Nariko. She was very pretty, but plain, which is what made me like her so much.

Her hair was blonde and pulled back into a braid, stopping halfway down her back. Her eyes were a shade of electric blue, a bit more vibrant in color than Zane's eyes.

She was very pale, so I figured she doesn't go outside much. All in all, she seemed like a very friendly girl. She talked to me sevral times while I was there, easily becoming my friend.

Today, however, I had a couple of tasks to do in town, but had a few things to do around the palace as well.

In town, I would have to purchase a gown for the Black and Gold ball, so I would need to stop by Mr. Julien's shop once more.

Then, I was to go to the flower shop and pick out the flower arrangements for the wedding. Finally, I was to return to the palace, where I would be spending some time with a few children from town.

I had been informed that there would be around ten children, but that I would have someone helping me at all times, so I wouldn't have to deal with them by myself.

I was really looking forward to spending time with the children. I loved kids and couldn't wait until the day I can have my own, but marriage comes before all of that, so I was anticipating my wedding and dreading it at the same time.

Ever since I was a child, I dreamt of my wedding day. Kai walking me down the aisle, where I'd marry someone I truly loved, not someone I had been shoved into an arranged marriage with.

But, my marriage to Prince Cole would be good for the kingdom, so I would just have to grin and bear it, even though Prince Cole is not the man I want.

For the last few days, I had acquired new feelings for Zane, those feelings being more than friendship. My mother had always told me I'd know who the right man for me would be and I honestly believe that man is Zane, but it can never happen.

Prince Cole and I will get married and have kids, while Zane will probably marry some pretty girl from the middle quarter, making her the luckiest girl in the world.

And who knows, maybe Prince Cole and I will really hit it off and come to love each other in time. I sighed at the thought, a million things going through my mind at the moment.

I wish I knew what Prince Cole was like, but I wouldn't even get to meet him until a few days before the wedding, so that was out of the question and I'd just have to wait.

I had been so lost in thought, I didn't even realize that we were at the dress shop until I'd been nudged by Arisa, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Penny for your thoughts?" She asked, making me giggle as we entered the shop, drawing Mr. Julien's attention.

"Ah, Princess Nya, what brings you back so soon?" Mr. Julien asked, raising an eyebrow at me and Arisa.

"Yesterday we forgot to buy dresses for the Black and Gold ball, so we decided to come by today and find something." I said as Arisa curtsied, reminding me to as well.

"Ah, well I do believe I have just the dresses for you and your friend. Follow me ladies." He said, leading us to two dresses, both of them very beautiful.

"Will these do your Highness?" He asked. I was speechless, both of these gowns were stunning, Arisa seemed to think so too.

The first one was mainly black, with a thin layer of gold fabric covering the bottom of the gown, little black snowflakes appearing to be falling down the bottom of the gown.

The top of the gown was fairly plain, so it didn't seem too fancy, but just fancy enough. I loved it, while Arisa had taken to the other gown, which was equally as pretty as mine.

It was gold for the most part, except for the black intricate swirls designs in various places on the dress. There were no sleeves, but that was fine by Arisa, who was probably going to have that dress on the floor by the end of the night, courtesy of Jay.

"These will do just fine Mr. Julien, thank you." I said, guiding my fingers over the gown's fabric, admiring the silky texture of the dress before it was removed from its mannequin.

Reaching for my bag of coins, I counted out thirty coins to pay him, only to be stopped short by Mr. Julien, confusing me for a moment.

"Payment is not necessary for these dresses, consider them a gift. After all, you gave my son a job, so why can't I give you these two dresses as my thanks, hm?" He asked.

I nodded my head in approval, knowing he was right, in a way. My approval brought the largest smile to his face as he handed the guards our dresses, but he called me and Arisa to his back room for a moment, so we followed him back there.

"Your Majesty, if you don't mind, could you give this to Zane? It's very important and I would appreciate it if you didn't read it, just give it to Zane as soon as possible." He said.

"Of course, I can give it to him!" I said, a bit too enthusiastically, making Arisa raise an eyebrow at me. Chuckling nervously, I quickly took the letter from Mr. Julien.

I couldn't wait to deliver the letter to Zane, using it as an excuse to see him. It's been three days since I last saw him and I was acting like it has been a year.

"Thank you, your Highness." Mr. Julien said as we left the shop, heading for the flower shop to pick out the flower arrangements.

* * *

The flower shop was one of my favorite places to visit in town. It was run by Miss Hiroko, a sweet old lady whose husband died several years ago.

She had always been kind to me, especially after my parents had died. I always come here whenever I need flowers, especially when I go to visit my parents' graves.

Entering her shop, I immediately spotted her, watering a batch of roses, not noticing us at first. Making my way over to her, I gently tapped her shoulder, making her turn around.

Once she saw me, she got a big smile on her face, pulling me and Arisa in for hugs. Arisa and her got along pretty well too, considering Arisa's grandma and her were friends.

"Ah, Nya and Arisa, what can I do for you two lovely girls?" She said, adjusting her glasses, smiling at us.

"I'm here to pick out flower arrangements for my wedding, but I can come back later if you're busy." I said. She shook her head, gently grabbing my hand.

"No dear, you're welcome here anytime. Now, let's see what we can come up with, hm?" She said, leading us through multiple rows of flowers until I finally found something that fit my tastes.

"Ah, what a wonderful choice my dear. Those are called Gold Blush roses, they're very beautiful." She said as I examined one of the roses.

It was very pretty, the flower was somewhat a mixture between pink and orange, and the petals were soft to the touch.

"I think these will do just fine." I said, sniffing one of the roses, enjoying the pleasant aroma of the flower. Miss Hiroko wrote down the number of the flowers we'd need for the wedding, promising they'd still be in stock by the time of the wedding as we left her shop, heading back to the castle.

* * *

Arriving at the castle, I immediately went to my room to change before the children got here. Slipping out of my gown, I put on a dress that wasn't exactly fancy.

I knew that kids could be a bit messy and reckless at times, so I thought it would be best if I wore something plain for once.

As I was getting undressed, I heard my door open, making me quickly turn around, trying to cover myself up. Zane was standing at my doorway, trying to cover his eyes, his face red from embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry Nya, I should have knocked first!" He shouted, turning to leave the room until I stopped him, quickly slipping the dress on.

"Wait, it's fine, it was an accident! But, I have something here for you, from your father." I said, reaching for the letter on my vanity, handing it to him, both of our faces red.

"Thank you Nya, and once again, I am very sorry about walking in on you!" He said, his face getting even redder, mine too.

"Like I said, it was an accident, so it's fine. Just...don't let it happen again." I said, making him nod his head in agreement. Then I realized, he must've been coming to my room for a reason, making me grow quite curious.

"Zane, why were you coming to my room anyways?" I asked, tilting my head to the side a bit. Sighing, Zane opened his mouth to reply.

"I had actually been on my way to tell you the children are her and I wanted to ask you something." He said, and for some reason, he was blushing as he said the last bit.

"Well, what is it you wanted to ask me?" I asked, raising my eyebrow at him.

"I just wanted to know if you'd like to accompany me to my father's shop tomorrow for dinner and maybe even go for a stroll around town afterwards?" He asked, looking down at the ground.

"Why Zane, are you asking me on a date?" I asked, jokingly, somewhat hoping I was right. Zane smirked, knowing what I was doing, deciding to play along.

"Do you want it to be Princess?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me, making me laugh a bit at his antics. If only he knew how bad I wanted it to be an actual date.

When I didn't reply, he started laughing, making me laugh too. Both of us stood there, laughing like our lives depended on it.

Once our laughter died down, I gave him my answer to his original question, making his grin look like it would touch his ears.

"Zane, I'd love to join you and your father for dinner...and maybe go for a stroll afterwards." I said, nodding my head.

That's when I remembered that the children were downstairs waiting for me, so I quickly slipped my shoes on as Zane headed out the door, making a little comment before running off.

"By the way Nya, that's quite a figure you've got there." Zane said, making me blush and turn to face him, only to find him running down the hallway in the direction of the kitchen.

Chuckling, I made my way downstairs, replaying his comment in my head. Zane, the man I've wanted for a while now, just complimented me on my body.

I didn't know whether to be flattered or appalled by his comment, but chose to go with flattered.

I made my way to the ballroom, finding 10 children waiting for me, along with a girl around Princess Lena's age in there with them.

The girl with them was pretty and she looked familiar too, but I had never seen her before in my life.

She had short white hair, like a boy's, but she had a right-side bang swept over her right eye, like it was meant to cover something.

Her eyes were pure white, like her hair, but looking closely at her, I could see tiny specks of green in her eyes as well.

Her ensemble was a bit different than what people usually wear. Most people wore gowns and suits, they hardly ever wore kimonos anymore, but this girl was wearing one.

It was white with pale blue outlines and a pair of white flats, like what I usually wore. Her skin was pale and I could see freckles along the bridge of her nose.

Overall, she was a very pretty girl for her age and she seemed nice too. She was sitting on the floor, braiding the hair of one of the little girls, carefully brushing the girl's hair.

All of the children finally took notice of me, rushing over to greet me, the girl coming over too. She curtsied to me as best as she could while wearing her kimono, having slight difficulty doing so.

I chuckled at her attempts to curtsy before informing her that the formalities weren't necessary, making her give up on trying to curtsy.

"So, what's your name? You look kind of familiar." I asked, still trying to figure out who she looked like. She laughed a bit, smiling to herself as she replied.

"My name is Shiro. The reason I look so familiar is because you've probably met my older sister, Ayame. She works here in the palace." She said, sighing.

"I had no idea Ayame had a sister. It's nice to meet you, I'm Nya!" I said, extending my hand for her to shake.

"Nice to meet you...Nya, if it's alright that I call you that." She said.

"That's fine, I prefer when people call me Nya instead of your Highness or your Majesty." I said, trying to imitate a man's voice, only to wind up sounding completely foolish, making Shiro and some of the children laugh.

After that, we both got up to play with the kids. One of the kids got the bright idea to play hide and go seek, so all of us ran down the halls, trying to find a place to hide.

We were only allowed to hide on the first floor, so that only left a handful of places for us to hide. I ran down the hallway, looking for a place to hide, eventually finding a suitable place.

I had chose to hide in a nearby pantry in the kitchens, only to find it occupied. The pantry was a bit small, especially since Zane was in there with me, leaving us barely any room to move.

"Nya, what are you doing in here?" He asked, right before I clamped my hand over his mouth, so he wouldn't give away my hiding spot. I could hear one of the kids shouting, trying to find us.

Once the kid's voice passed, I removed my hand from his mouth, enabling him to speak.

"Sorry about that, couldn't have you giving away my hiding spot, now could I?" I asked, wiggling a finger at him.

"Hiding spot? Who are you hiding from?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me like he'd done earlier.

"Me and the kids are playing hide and go seek, and this is my hiding spot." I said, adjusting my foot, accidentally stepping on Zane's foot in the process.

"Ow, Nya careful down there!" He quietly shouted, reaching down to nurse his foot, accidentally making me fall to the ground, landing on my butt.

"Crap Zane, that hurt! I think it's you who should be more careful!" I shouted, trying to keep quiet. I could hear him snicker at me, making me want to punch him and kiss him at the same time, but I refrained from doing so.

The door opened, revealing the kid from earlier. Apparently, I was the last to be found, Shiro having been found first.

Speaking of Shiro, she seemed to be enjoying this whole awkward situation, finding me and Zane in the pantry together with me on the ground seemed to make her smile.

Zane quickly helped me to my feet, letting me leave the pantry first before coming out himself. All of the kids were looking at us funny, but they shrugged their shoulders and told Shiro it was her turn to count, so she ran off to do just that.

Me and Zane stood there awkwardly for a moment before I realized that I needed to find a new hiding spot, running down the hallway as fast as I could, eventually finding a new hiding spot, one that wasn't occupied.

The game went on for another hour before the kids had to leave, waving goodbye to me as they went. Shiro stayed though, wanting to spend time with Ayame for a few days.

I had grown tired after the kids left, so I rushed to my room, changing into my night clothes before crawling into bed, falling asleep shortly after.

* * *

**Okay, so what'd you think?**

**The next chapter is gonna be Nya's dinner with Zane, Nariko, and Mr. Julien, so there's something to look forward to!**

**I'm considering having a major romance thing happen in chapter 6 or 7, maybe chapter 8. Zane's mission won't be revealed until at least Chapter 11 or 12, so :P**

**Anyways, I have this poll on my profile if any of you are interested, it's just asking which of the pairings listed in it you'd like to see a one-shot of, so there's that!**

**Here are a few replies to some of the reviews from the last chapter:**

**Astrid16: Yes, I have joined the Zaya Revolution, even though NyCole is still my #1 shipping ever!**

**NyaFanGirl: Thank you, I'm glad you liked my drawing! And the suspense is gonna have to kill you for a while longer! Hehehe...**

**Awesomesauce Samurai 15: Yep, someone's definitely in love! But he's not gonna do anything really romantic with her just yet!**

**IceFreak101: Yes, let the love triangle is gonna get a bit frustrating at times cause there will be Zaya parts and NyCole parts in this story!**

**Pinkie Pie luvs Ninjago: Thank you, I'm glad you like it! As for the new stories, I posted something on Choosing the other day that tells about the new stories and their estimated release dates, so you can read about them there.**

**Well, that's all I've got! Until next time, ciao!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, so I plan on using the Hercules idea of making the two of them sing I Won't Say I'm In Love, but not in this chapter, it'll be in one of the future chapters of this story!**

**I am not gonna make Cole be the bad guy, I want him to be a sort of nice guy, but like in the other story, he's gonna...you know X_X**

**I hope all of you like this chapter, even though it isn't my best, I think its fairly good! *sweatdrop***

**I wrote a few responses to reviews from the last chapter, so those are at the bottom of this!**

**Anyways, lets get this over with...**

* * *

**Three Days Later...**

**Nya's POV**

It's been two days since the dinner at Mr. Julien's shop, which had been quite interesting, but I'd made a huge mistake once we arrived back at the castle.

Kazuo had went with us to the dinner and had really hit it off with Nariko, the two of them going for a stroll around town, while Zane and I returned to the castle.

Once we'd made it back to the castle, I'd told him goodnight and...sort of kissed his cheek before quickly running to my room.

So, for the last two days, I'd been trying to avoid Zane as much as possible. I was...afraid of what his reaction would be to the other night, so I didn't want to see him, but he was definitely trying to see me.

On occasion, he would try to get me alone so he could talk to me, but I would always brush him off, stating I had something important to go take care of.

Today, however, I wasn't so lucky in my attempts to avoid him. He had barged into my room early this morning, grabbing my hand and leading me outside to the gardens.

Opening the doors to the gardens, he led me outside, where I saw nothing but snow. Everywhere I looked, there was snow.

I squealed in excitement as I looked around at all of it, taking in the beauty of it all. The sunlight hit the snow just right, making it sparkle more than any jewel ever could.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of someone clearing their throat, turning around to see Zane looking at me, sheepishly.

"Nya, we need to talk." He said, grabbing my hand and leading me over to a bench. With one sweep of his arm, the bench was cleared of snow, allowing us to sit on it.

I took a seat on the bench, trying to keep a fair amount of distance between the two of us as Zane sat down too. Neither of us spoke for a few minutes, sitting there in awkward silence.

Finally, I grew tired of waiting and decided to speak up, ignoring every part of me that screamed for me to just run, but I knew that wouldn't work. I had to face him sooner or later, so I figured I might as well get it over with.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" I asked, looking down at the ground, gently nudging some snow with my foot. I heard him take in a deep breath, letting it out moments later before speaking.

"I want to talk about the other night, when you...kissed me." He said, his face going red as he said the last part. I blushed too, somewhat wishing I could take it back.

"Look Zane, that kiss was an impulse, I shouldn't have done that. You probably don't want to see me anymore, do you?" I asked, hoping I was wrong. I couldn't bear to lose his friendship.

"No, that's not it at all. In fact, I would...like to see you more, if that is alright with you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me, a light blush spreading across the bridge of his nose.

I couldn't stop the smile that emerged on my face as I nodded my head, knowing there was nothing more that I would love than to spend more time with him. Still, there was one question that had been bugging me this entire time.

"Zane, d-did you, by chance, e-enjoy the kiss?" I asked, even though it had only been on the cheek, I was still curious as to if he did.

"I admit that I did enjoy it. What' more is that...I want to do it again, only a bit different this time, if you don't mind?" He said, my eyes widening as I processed what he'd said.

He wanted to kiss me. He actually wanted to kiss me! I was ecstatic as I nodded my head in approval, his head slowly moving towards mine.

Our lips connected and I felt something, a spark, surging throughout my entire body. The kiss was sweet and gentle, as though he was nervous about the whole thing.

Mustering all of my courage, I wrapped my arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. That gave him a bit of encouragement, his hands snaking themselves around my waist.

We kissed for Overlord knows how long, when I realized that we were still in the gardens, that anyone could see us, so I pulled away. I was so out of breath once we pulled away, he was too, but both of us were smiling.

He kissed me once more, placing a soft peck on my lips before telling me I should go get ready for the day, saying he'd see me later as I made my way to my chambers.

If only I'd known what else would happen today...

* * *

**Cole's POV**

Today was the day, the day that I reveal myself to Princess Nya. I just hoped that she wouldn't hate me for my facade.

I sat at the dining room table with her brother and his wife, enjoying the company of the two of them as I waited for Princess Nya to enter the room.

Five minutes later, she arrived, going to take her seat at the table as well. She eyed me rather strangely, possibly because I was still in my disguise.

Kai took the initiative and stood, ready to introduce me to my lovely bride-to-be, smiling at me before he opened his mouth to speak, looking over at his sister.

"Nya, I have something very important to tell you, something I hope you'll take well." Kai said, pausing to give her a moment before he continued to speak.

"This guard, happens to be...Prince Cole, your future husband." Kai said, motioning for me to rise from my seat. Standing up, I reached up to remove my helmet.

Once I removed my helmet, I heard Princess Nya gasp a bit, having never seen me before. I turned to her, giving her a small smile, which she hesitantly returned before glancing in the direction of the kitchens.

"Um, Princess Nya, I am Prince Cole. It is such a pleasure to finally meet you, properly that is." I said, gently grabbing her hand, placing a chaste kiss upon the back of her hand, making her blush profoundly.

"I-It is nice to meet you as well, Prince Cole." She said, still blushing quite a bit. Our server came out after that, the young man known as Zane, who kept shooting glances in mine and Nya's directions, his eyebrow raised.

He balanced four trays of food on his arms, carefully placing them down in front of each of us before bowing in respect, heading back to the kitchens, not saying another word.

Breakfast was fairly interesting, Kai and I chatting quite a bit. Most of my attention, however, had went towards Princess Nya. I spent most of my time talking with her, getting to know her better.

Overall, she was just my type of girl. She was brave, beautiful, clever, talented, and compassionate, everything that would make her a wonderful bride and queen.

After breakfast, her brother announced that for the next two weeks, Nya and I would be spending time together, leaving the room shortly after.

The two of us were left alone in the dining room, an awkward silence hanging between us, which I didn't quite like, so I tried to break the ice, askingher if she'd join me for a stroll around the castle.

Nodding her head, she linked her arm through mine, the two of us heading out of the dining room and around the castle, occasionally stopping to talk with some of the servants.

She took me to all of her favorite spots around the castle, the first having been the gardens and the last place having been the library, where we sat down and read a story together, Romeo and Juliet.

By the time we'd finished the story, it was dinnertime, so we linked arms once more and headed to the dining room, entering and walking straight to our seats.

We waited for about ten minutes before our server, the same young man from earlier, entered the room, bearing four more trays of food on his arms.

He placed them down in front of us, glancing mainly at Princess Nya. That's when I saw him, he winked at her, making her blush a bit but lightly shake her head at him.

He then went back into the kitchens, unaware of the glares I kept giving him as he made his way back to the kitchens. I stopped glaring once he was out of my sight, turning my head to focus on Princess Nya.

Something was going on between the two of them, I just knew it, so I'd have to figure out a way to keep them separated for a while.

Right now, the two weeks we were to spend together was enough, maybe she'd even fall in love with me during that time and forget about this _Zane_.

After dinner, I was led to my room, which was right down the hall from Princess Nya's room and far away from Count Jayson's room, which he shared with that Zane guy.

I had been undressing when my door opened, revealing Princess Nya, her face flushed as she stared at my torso. I figured it was inappropriate for me to be shirtless in the presence of my bride-to-be, so I quickly slipped on my shirt.

"Yes Princess, what is it?" I asked, tilting my head to the side a bit.

"Um, I j-just wanted to tell you goodnight and that I h-hope you have pleasant dreams." She said, occasionally stuttering as she spoke.

With a light chuckle, I walked over to her, placing a light kiss on her lips before replying. She had quite a large blush across her cheeks after I'd kissed her, a small smile gracing her lips.

"Thank you, Princess Nya. I hope you have pleasant dreams as well, goodnight." I said as she turned to leave my room, closing the door once I knew she was at least halfway down the hall.

I smiled to myself, finding myself glad that I'd kissed her, hoping it would make her forget about Zane for the time being.

Walking over to my bed, I plopped down onto it, slipping underneath the blanket to get warm. I fell asleep fairly fast, my dreams consumed by thoughts of Princess Nya.

* * *

**Okay, so what'd you think? Was it good? Was it bad? Give me some feedback!**

**Anyways, now Zane and Cole are both going to be in the castle, so Nya is gonna be spending some time with both of them. No, her and Zane aren't a couple even though they kissed in this chapter!**

**Next chapter, you're gonna be seeing Ayame, Ronin, and Shiro again, along with a few other OC's, so yay!**

**Now, here are a few replies to some of the reviews from the last chappie! ^_^**

**NyaFanGirl: Cool, I'm glad Nariko and you have some similarities, I hope you like her so far and she will be in more chapters here soon! And Nya and Kai's parents died in a shipwreck while going to visit King Garmadon...**

**Guardian Sorceress Alanshee: Yes, I realize that some aspects of this story are like Romeo and Juliet, but I promise Zane and Nya aren't gonna die...at least, I haven't officially decided if either one of them dies yet, if they do it'll be near the ending of the story.**

**IceFreak101: Thatnk you, thank you! *bows***

**Awesomesauce Samurai 15: I'm glad you liked it, I really enjoy writing the two of them in embarrassing situations or being kind of flirty with one another, it's so much fun! I really liked writing that scene!**

**Astrid16: I know, Zaya is awesome and deserves WAY more popularity, it's so freaking adorable! Zane was not in the game of hide and go seek, he was merely doing inventory in that pantry at the time. I wanted to write Nya as someone who's good with kids, to show that she would make a wonderful mother eventually. I thought it would be good removing Jay as a romantic option as well, having Nya in love with three guys would have been too much I think and no, Zane is not a robot in this fanfic!**

**Now, I plan on updating this again in two or three days, but in the meantime, I plan on updating Learning To Live Together, Darkness In His Heart, and Choosing! Plus, two or three of my new stories are almost done as well, so keep an eye out for those!**

**Until next time, ciao! ^_^**


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